News & Issues

The Alberta Party is proud to support SafeSchoolsAlberta.ca

Posted on August 29, 2014 by Greg Clark

Inclusiveness and respect for all people is a core value of the Alberta Party, and that's why we are strong supporters and backers of www.safeschoolsalberta.ca. In fact, the website was started by a team of Alberta Party volunteers who care deeply about this issue.

The website is a non-partisan effort to bring awareness to the important issue of the homophobic section 11.1 of Alberta's Human Rights Act (also known as Bill 44).

This is the provision that requires Alberta schools to notify parents when the topic of sexual orientation, will be discussed in the classroom. Teachers and schools are threatened with serious consequences if they are accused of contradicting the law.

Most important, it legitimizes homophobic views held by a tiny minority of parents who may wish to exclude their child from the mere mention of sexual orientation in the classroom. And while doing that, it sends a powerful and dangerous message to Alberta’s LGBTQ students, who are already in a vulnerable situation.

Sexual Orientation is a human characteristic. It's not a choice or a question of morality or anything to be embarrassed or ashamed of. It is part of who we are as human beings and as Albertans.

We would never accept a law that required parental consent before topics relating to race or gender were raised. Sexual Orientation should be no different. As an Albertan, I'm offended our provincial government has this law on the books.

This Sunday's Calgary Pride parade gives all of us an opportunity to show support for Calgary's LGBTQ community. I will be marching with a large Alberta Party team, as we have in Pride parades around Alberta over the years. This year, PC leadership candidates Jim Prentice and Ric McIver will march and, for the very first time, so will Wildrose leader Danielle Smith.

I welcome their participation, but I can't help calling them out for the hypocrisy of their continued support for support for Section 11.1. Mr. McIver's longstanding connection to the openly homophobic March for Jesus is well known, and Jim Prentice, Danielle Smith and Ric McIver have been unequivocal in their support for Section 11.1.

If they truly supported Alberta's LGBTQ community they would call for the repeal of Section 11.1. They haven't, so they don't.

Alberta has moved beyond homophobia. Let me rephrase that; the people of Alberta have, it's a shame our government and official opposition haven't.

Please take a moment now to sign this important petition and share it with your friends.